Furniture



1942- H. c. BULLARD 72,5

FURNITURE Fi led Dec. 17, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l v NVENTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

H. c. BULLARD FURNITURE Filed Dec. 17, 1958 Feb. 10, 1942.

H. C. BULLARD FURNITURE Filed Dec. 1'7, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 10, 1942.

INVENTOR I ATTORNEY,

Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT @E'FICE FURNITURE Harold C. Bullard, Nashua, N. H.

Application December 17, 1938, Serial No. 246,365

6 Claims.

This invention relates to cabinets, cases, and furniture equipped with drawers, although some of its features are applicable to a, considerable variety of wooden structures. It is especially concerned with products of this type designed to be shipped and warehoused in a knocked-down condition.

An important object of the invention is to devise a drawer case or cabinet in which hardwood required for wear and strength is successfully combined with cheaper or soft woods more adaptable for finishing, the frame work of which can be shipped to the ultimate user in a semiknocked down condition, either in its natural state or highly finished, and can, without damage to the finish, be assembled by him without the use of nails, screws, or tools other than a hammer to seat the various parts in their final position, and which will be so constructed that the act of assembling will automatically square up the structure both horizontally and vertically.

The accomplishment of the foregoing object in a practical manner means that the making of the joints which secure the parts together must be simplified to an unusual degree. todevise a satisfactory solution for this problem forms a further and important object of this invention. It is contemplated that the construction devised to meet these requirements may be used in a considerable Variety of other relation- I ships.

It is also an object of the invention to mount the drawers in such a manner that they will not bind, or become dislodged due to swelling or contraction of the wood, but will remain securely 5% supported in such a way that they can always be moved in or out, but will not sag or fall out onto the floor when fully extended.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a drawer case e Accordingly, 1.

all

Fig. 5 is a horizontal, sectional view approximately on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; and

Figs. 6 and '7 are sectional views on the lines 66 and l-'l, respectively, Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the construction there shown comprises front and rear frames connected by a series of cross rails. The front frame includes uprights 2 and 3, respectively, a base board 4, and a series of horizontal pieces or rails 5 cooperating with the base board to secure the uprights together. Similarly, the rear frame comprises two uprights 6 and I connected by a series of horizontal rails 8. Preferably the parts of these two frame structures are machined and assembled at the factory under power pressure to produce permanently tight joints. The particular case shown is designed to be used in the kitchen and to be built into the kitchen equipment so that the front frame only is usually exposed to View. It is, therefore, sanded at the factory after being assembled, and if desired, can have the final finishing coats applied to it because no damage should occur when the user assembles the case.

In the assembled structure the front and rear frames are connected by a series of hardwood cross-pieces 9 located at opposite ends of the case and designed not only to give strength and rigidity to the structure, but also to serve as rails for the drawers to run on and to act as supports for the back of the drawer to rest against when the drawer is filled and partly or fully extended. These parts also are accurately machined and polished at the factory, and are shipped with the front and rear frames, later being assembled with the latter, either by the ultimate purchaser or by the distributor.

In order to facilitate this matter of assembly, and at the same time to provide an exceptionally strong and sturdy construction, I prefer to use a joint of novel form between each of the rails 5 and 8 of the front and rear frames and the uprights to which they are secured.

This same joint structure also is utilized in fastening the cross-pieces 9 to the front and rear frames. It is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which may be assumed to illustrate the construction at the upper left-hand corner, Fig. l, where the parts 6, 8 and 9 are united. From these views it will be observed that the rear frame members 6 and 8 are secured together by a dowel H3. For a case of this kind and size, the dowel may be, say, of three-eighths round hardwood stock, and it is driven into a round hole of the same size in the rail 8. In the upright 6, however, a square hole H is formed one-sixteenth of an inch smaller than the diameter of the dowel, and the latter is forced into it under power pressure at the factory, thus distorting both the shape of the hole and also that of the dowel to the same degree. When the parts 6 and 8 are forced together in this manner, and particularly if their abutting faces are made of tongue and groove construction, as shown, an exceptionally strong joint is made. If, in addition, the dowel is dipped in glue, then it is practically impossible to take this joint apart without ruining the pieces, and any danger of it opening accidentally or because of climatic changes is definitely avoided.

Usually the rails 9 are made of hard wood, and the opposite ends of each rail are provided with dovetail slots, as shown at l2 in Figs. 5 and 6. The face of the rail 8 immediately beside the upright 6 is grooved, as shown at i3, Fig. 5, to receive the end of the cross-piece 9, and to provide side bearing against the upright 6 and cross-rail 8. A dove-tail block l4, made of either metal or hardwood, is secured to the face of the groove by a flat-headed wood screw I5, which is threaded through the side of the soft wood rail 8 and into the hardwood dowel l0. Often, and in fact usually, the rails 5 and 8 are made of soft wood to lessen the cost and shipping weight, and such a construction as that just described provides a secure anchorage in hardwood for the dovetail blocks.

This same construction is used at the opposite ends of each of the cross-pieces 9, so that the particular case shown contains sixteen of these joints. the proper spacing for drawers, prevents variation in levels of the cross-pieces 9 and cross-rails 5 and avoids uneven operation of the drawers.

The assembly of the case, except for the drawers and the guide bar later to be described, and which is preferably used with them, consists simply in securing the front and rear frames together by locating the eight cross-pieces 9 in their proper positions and driving them into place. Preferably the surfaces of the dovetail grooves I2 in the bars are coated with glue, and it is then necessary simply to drive them onto and fully seat them on the dovetail block it. Since the opposite ends of these cross-pieces are cut square, the driving of them into place automatically squares up the entire frame assembly both horizontally and vertically. Also, the nature of the dovetail grooves and their blocks is such that it draws the front and rear frames together. Because the ends of the cross-pieces 9 fit snugly into the slots l3 cut in the faces of the front and rear frame and they receive side pressure from the shoulder on the rails 5 and 8 and uprights 2--3 and 6-1, they thus cooperate with the dovetail blocks to brace the frame against horizontal racking and produce an exceptionally strong and rigid construction. No great degree of intelligence or skill is required in performing this assembly operation. An examination of the dovetail slots in the cross-pieces 9 suggests the correct and only position in which the same can be placed and thus makes instructions practically unnecessary.

The drawers I! may be made of the usual constructions. The side pieces of each drawer project below the bottom, and run on the crosspieces or rails 99, as shown for example in Fig. 4. Here one of the side pieces is indicated at a and the bottom of the same drawer at b. Preferably they are fitted very loosely, so that they will run freely even if the wood swells.

Their location automatically determines This,

however, would mean that the drawers would be very sloppy in action with considerable end play. Also, that when a drawer is partly or fully pulled out it would sag downwardly to an undesirable degree.

In order to overcome these difficulties a polish'ed hardwood guide l8, Figs. 2 to 4, is positioned directly over the center of each drawer extending from front to rear. Preferably the guide bar I8 is secured in front and rear rails 5 and 8 by blind mortises to receive tenons made on the ends of guide bar l8, as shown at bottom of Fig. 2, so that the tenons when coated with glue and inserted in the mortises aid in stifiening and squaring the frame. The rearward end 0 of the drawer H is provided with a notch (1 made in the upper edge of the drawer back as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Preferably the sides of this notch are rounded transversely, as shown in Fig. 4a, the bottom of the guide bar I8 is rounded out at a lesser radius than notch d, and has a running clearance with guide bar, so that, in effect, a three-point bearing practically frictionless is obtained regardless of the extended position of the drawer. Since this bar extends parallel to the path of inward and outward movement of the drawer, it will guide the latter during such movement, prevent any substantial lateral movement of the rearward end of the drawer relatively to the case, and ensure that the dust lip of the drawer front will have a constant and uniform bearing on the front frame when closed. Also, when the drawer is open, either partially or completely, any tendency for its forward end to sag downward will be effectually limited by the engagement of the bottom of the notch d with the bottom surface of the guide bar. Additional engagement of the notches e at the ends of the drawer back with the bottom surfaces of cross-pieces 9-9 aid the action just described. Thus the drawer can be given ample freedom in its operating space to prevent sticking due to the swelling of the wood while being guided for opening and closing movement.

Preferably, also, the back 0 of the drawer is made higher than the sides so that when the drawer is fully opened the inside surface of the raised portion of the drawer back will strike the inner surface of its cooperating rail 5 and prevent the drawer from coming completely out of the case while in its natural or horizontal position. It can be taken out, however, for cleaning purposes by tipping the front of the fully extended drawer upward far enough to clear the extended portion of the drawer back from the rail 5, at

- the same time dropping the back of the drawer downward sufficiently to free the extended top of the back from contact with the upper rail. Inward movement of the drawers is limited in the usual way by the engagement of the dust lip on the drawer front, Fig. 1, with the front frame pieces which it overlaps.

A polished hardwood tongued chafe strip 20, Figs. 1 and 7, may be located in the groove of the front uprights 2 and 3 provided to receive the tenon of the rail 5, such a strip being located just above each rail 5. It limits the lateral clearance of each drawer, presents a frictionless surface for the drawer sides to bear against, and prevents contact of the drawer side with the uprights 2 and 3 due to outward curling of the former.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the invention provides a drawer case of exceptionally sturdy construction, which can be shipped in a knocked-down condition, with a consequent saving in freight cost over a set-up case, requires little warehouse space, and which can be easily and quickly assembled by the distributor or ultimate user.

The fact that no nails, screws, or other metallic fasteners are required in making the assembly is an important practical advantage, both because of saving in labor and also for the reason that it eliminates much of the danger of injury to the case during the assembling operation. Also, it permits application of the final finish to the case at the factory. Usually a drawer case of this nature requires in the neighborhood of fifty or sixty nails to assemble. In addition, the nails in the front framework have to be countersunk, and the holes puttied up after assembly. It is very difiicult also for a novice to drive nails accurately through soft wood and into the hard wood pieces required for drawer runs without splitting parts or making some hammer marks which later must be sanded out, filled up or concealed in some way. Thus, by avoiding the necessity for the use of such fasteners, the ultimate purchaser is assured of a perfectly assembled and finished case.

While I have herein shown and described a typical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof and that the invention may be embodied in other forms.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. In an article of furniture, the combination of two wood pieces abutting one against the other, a wood dowel of circular cross-sectional form connecting them, one of said pieces having a square hole into which said dowel is forced, the dowel being of slightly larger diameter than the hole.

2. In an article of furniture, the combination of two wood pieces abutting one against the other, a wood dowel connecting them, a third piece abutted against one of the first two, and

means securing it to the latter including a. screw threaded through a side of the latter and into said dowel.

3. In an article of furniture, the combination of two wood pieces abutting one against the other, a wood dowel connecting them, a third piece abutted against one of the first two, and means securing it to the latter including a dovetail block and a screw extending through said block and driven laterally into said dowel.

4. In an article of furniture, the combination of a wooden frame member, a cross piece having an end thereof abutting against a face of said frame member, said end having a dove-tail groove therein, a dove-tail block secured to said frame piece and fitting in said groove where it holds the cross piece securely in its abutted relationship to said frame member, said member having a dowel therein and a screw extending through a portion of the frame member and into said dowel and securing said block in its operative position.

5. In an article of furniture, the combination of two wooden frame members, the end of the first being abutted against the side of the second, a dowel connecting said members, a third member having an end abutted against a side of one of the first two, the end of said third piece having a dove-tail slot therein, a dove-tail block fitting in said slot, and a screw securing said block to one of the first two members and driven through the side of the latter and into said dowel.

6. In an article of furniture, a frame, a member connected to said frame with one end abutting against a face portion of said frame, said end of said member having a dove-tail groove therein, and a dove-tail block secured to said face portion of said frame and fitting in said dove-tail groove, whereby the member is secured to said frame at a right angle thereto.

HAROLD C. BULLARD. 

